Where Does Philip Rivers Rank Among Oldest NFL Players Ever After Colts Contract?

Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers will need to make a few more comebacks if he aspires to be the oldest player in NFL history to suit up.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that the eight-time Pro Bowler, who last played in 2020, is signing with the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad.

The Colts have lost Daniel Jones for the rest of the season to a torn Achilles, while Anthony Richardson Sr. is still out with an orbital fracture. Compounding matters, Riley Leonard is battling a knee injury.

That has forced Indy to turn to the 44-year-old Rivers.

Should he see the field, he'd be tied as the fourth-oldest player to appear in a game. He'd join the same company as Steve DeBerg, Warren Moon, Eddie Murray and Vinny Testaverde.

George Blanda continues to own the record as the NFL's oldest player. The Hall of Famer was 48 when he kicked for the Oakland Raiders in 1975.

Tom Brady is the only full-time quarterback who made it to 45. He could've plausibly kept going, considering he threw for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2022.

In the case of Rivers, his long layoff rather than his age raises questions over whether this will work for the Colts. Even for a player in his prime, four-plus seasons is a long time to go without seeing a meaningful snap.